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Better deal with Travel Agent?


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20 hours ago, ChillEDog said:

My TA is quoting me exactly the same price as if I call the cruise line.   Worse (2nd time I've used him), I call him up and say "we're thinking of this cruise, can you look into what else is available" and couple hours later he'll call back and say (the cruise I mentioned) is the best deal available.  Feels like he's just regurgitating what I said and not really researching.  Definitely getting a "what's the point" (of using the TA) feeling.  I guess I'm just ranting !

 

I would get quotes from a couple of agents.  Or use one of the online services where you specify what you want and they send you quotes.  You remain anonymous to the quoting agents unless or until you contact them back.  It sounds like either your current agent is taking advantage of you or doesn't know cruises.  I used such a site on my last booking and got 1,075 in refundable OBC from the agent, against the exact same price the cruise line would have charged me and given me 0 OBC.  That OBC was a hair less than 10% of the total fare.  Do a Google search for comparing cruise prices and you will find there sites.  Good luck.

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I'm  guessing that most of the experiences quoted here are US based TAs.  This side of the pond, in the UK, there are  numerous cruise only TAs (mainly a dedicated  cruise wing of a general TA). We have one we have used many times. Always beats the cruise line quote for the same cruise and has, from time to time, also thrown in some extras (like free port parking).

One cruise we did was coming out quite pricey (still beating the cruise line  direct) - l shopped around, a different  TA had the best price. I went  back to our regular TA, told them 'so and so have bettered your quote by £X'. The reply  l got was "if l match  that  price and give you free gratuities,  would  you book  with me now?"

Of course  l will!

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  • 3 months later...

We hit up [a site] and got 7 agents competing on our exact cruise with Celebrity.

 

Saved around 15% (a touch under ~$1000) over the best deal we could get direct for 3 veranda balcony rooms with 6 folks . 🙂 

Edited by Icon901
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I have used the same TA to book every cruise I've been on, and I won't change it.  She gets me great prices, and any time I've had an issue with something, she's taken care of it.  The secret is having a GOOD travel agent.  One other thing to note, many agencies have their own perks.  I get a crazy amount of discounts and OBC because of my loyalty to the agency, not the cruise line.

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We shop around but have found the best value so far with an online travel site. (don't know if I can name it or not)

Their specials vary, and many times they are the same price as the cruise company.
However our next cruise, while the room was the same price, they also paid our gratuities, gave us $25 excursion credit, $25 resort credit, $100 OBC and $50 Drink credit.
In addition, they paid our deposit up front and we didn't have to make a payment until 5 months later (which was 3 months before the cruise!).
All we had to put down was the port fees and taxes.

Out of the 5 times we have cruised, only once was going through the cruise line a better deal.
Always shop around!

Edited by Chervil
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6 hours ago, Chervil said:

... (don't know if I can name it or not)...

 

Howdy Chervil from a fellow Texan! 👍

 

No, better not. Any Guideline violating posts that mention or even have masked/veiled hints of a TA name observed by Cruise Critic staff/management/hosts/moderators or reported by a member with the Report Post function will be removed. As well as any other posts or quotes of posts in the conversation. Everyone in the conversation will run the risk of receiving Guidelines Reminders or suspension of posting privileges.

 

From the Travel Agent Recommendations section in the Guidelines we all agreed to follow when registering for our free Cruise Critic memberships:

 

Travel Agent Recommendations

There shall be no third-party recommendation (whether positive or negative in content) of travel agencies on any forums within Cruise Critic. General discussions regarding the TYPE of AGENCY to be used to purchase a cruise will be allowed, as long as no recommendations for any source of purchase are posted.

Touting of your personal cruise agent or cruise line "personal cruise consultant" (or any other venue by which you purchase a cruise) is not allowed on our message boards. Postings that contain "tell them John sent you" will be removed without notice.

 

This means you should not ask about someone's travel agent, nor should you respond in kind. Offering to email someone your travel agent's name or info is also not allowed, nor is asking members to email you for the information.

 

Critic will remove violations of the "third-party recommendation" guideline without warning. Additional posts may result in permanent suspension of your posting privileges.

 

Hope this information will be helpful! 😃

 

Happy sails,

 

Kat 🐱

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3 hours ago, TxCityKat said:

 

Howdy Chervil from a fellow Texan! 👍

 

No, better not. Any Guideline violating posts that mention or even have masked/veiled hints of a TA name observed by Cruise Critic staff/management/hosts/moderators or reported by a member with the Report Post function will be removed. As well as any other posts or quotes of posts in the conversation. Everyone in the conversation will run the risk of receiving Guidelines Reminders or suspension of posting privileges.

 

From the Travel Agent Recommendations section in the Guidelines we all agreed to follow when registering for our free Cruise Critic memberships:

 

Travel Agent Recommendations

There shall be no third-party recommendation (whether positive or negative in content) of travel agencies on any forums within Cruise Critic. General discussions regarding the TYPE of AGENCY to be used to purchase a cruise will be allowed, as long as no recommendations for any source of purchase are posted.

Touting of your personal cruise agent or cruise line "personal cruise consultant" (or any other venue by which you purchase a cruise) is not allowed on our message boards. Postings that contain "tell them John sent you" will be removed without notice.

 

This means you should not ask about someone's travel agent, nor should you respond in kind. Offering to email someone your travel agent's name or info is also not allowed, nor is asking members to email you for the information.

 

Critic will remove violations of the "third-party recommendation" guideline without warning. Additional posts may result in permanent suspension of your posting privileges.

 

Hope this information will be helpful! 😃

 

Happy sails,

 

Kat 🐱

That helps alot, thanks!


I thought I remembered something like that, so I chose to be a little vague anyway.

Happy sails to you to!
 

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 3/30/2019 at 3:01 PM, ChillEDog said:

My TA is quoting me exactly the same price as if I call the cruise line.   Worse (2nd time I've used him), I call him up and say "we're thinking of this cruise, can you look into what else is available" and couple hours later he'll call back and say (the cruise I mentioned) is the best deal available.  Feels like he's just regurgitating what I said and not really researching.  Definitely getting a "what's the point" (of using the TA) feeling.  I guess I'm just ranting !

 

Then I'd recommend a different TA. Good ones want repeat and referral business so will be more helpful and/or generous with perks and accommodating of questions or changes.

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  • 5 months later...

I've got mixed feelings about travel agents.    I've had a few that have pulled out deals or suggestions I wouldn't have been able to do myself, but I've also had MASSIVE (near DISASTEROUS in one case) screwups that travel agents have CAUSED that I would never had done myself.    Right now, I'm in "trust but verify" mode.     I do my own independent research (or let my wife do it who could definitely be a TA in an alternate life) before I speak to the agent and then I go over everything they do to make sure there are no errors.

 

As with any other form of personal service, the best way to select these businesses is to get recommendations, most specifically, from people you trust.

 

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On 1/22/2020 at 6:57 PM, cruiserking said:

A good travel agent will also be able to re-adjust your cruise price should it go down during a sale. You just need to keep your eye on your cruise and send your agent and email if you see the price drop. 

 

Jonathan

 

No, a GOOD TA monitors the prices for you, and gets the adjustment without you having to ask. 😄

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9 hours ago, SRF said:

 

No, a GOOD TA monitors the prices for you, and gets the adjustment without you having to ask. 😄

No, a GREAT TA monitors the prices for you, and gets the adjustment without you having to ask.

A good TA will get the adjustment if you ask.

 

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I’m using a TA for the first time with my next cruise. I booked it with the cruise line directly (as I did last time). Transferred the booking to a TA because I thought it might be better to have someone to help if I had any issues. TA didn’t get me a lower cost (which was muuuuch lower than current cost, thank god) and a couple of their offers didn’t apply to me as a solo traveler, but I did get some other perks like a decent amount of OBC so no harm no foul really. 

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16 hours ago, ammorgan86 said:

I’m using a TA for the first time with my next cruise. I booked it with the cruise line directly (as I did last time). Transferred the booking to a TA because I thought it might be better to have someone to help if I had any issues. TA didn’t get me a lower cost (which was muuuuch lower than current cost, thank god) and a couple of their offers didn’t apply to me as a solo traveler, but I did get some other perks like a decent amount of OBC so no harm no foul really. 

Congratulations.  OBC or discount, both are worth while and you'll get neither from the cruise line.

 

Be sure and ask around on your next cruise.   You may meet someone who knows a TA who will discount.

Edited by RocketMan275
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19 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

No, a GREAT TA monitors the prices for you, and gets the adjustment without you having to ask.

A good TA will get the adjustment if you ask.

 

 

OK< so mine is GREAT. 😄

 

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38 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

OK< so mine is GREAT. 😄

 

Mine is merely good.  I do appreciate the service and the savings.   

I doubt I would change.  It's rare I find price savings.  And, a simple note, and my TA will make the changes if they're worthwhile.

Her service is fantastic.

I probably will never meet her but we're on first name basis and she's always available even on weekends.

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